Car-coupling



(No Model.)

s. HALTOM. GAR GOUPLING.

No. 342,793. PatentedJune 1, 1886.

N PETER Phublklhagrapher. Wilhhlgiun. 0.1:

UNITED STATES ATENT Friet..

SAMUEL HLTOM, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFIATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 342,793, dated June 1A 1886.

Application tiled February 23, 18H6. Serial No. 192.81215. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL HALTOM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and Stateof Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplings. of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in cancouplings, having for its objects, first, the provision ofa coupler having means whereby two meeting cars may be automatically con pled together; second,the provision of means whereby the cars may be uncoupled either from the ground at the sides thereof, or from the roof or platform of said cars; third, the provision of a car-coupler adapted to engage with the couplerof a car the bottom of which is in either a higher or lower plane than that first named; and, fourth, the provision of a car-coupling combining strength, durability, and simplicity of construction and action. To these ends the invention consistsin the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, substantially as hereinafterdescribed, and specitically pointv ed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a bot' torn plan view of a car provided with a couplingdeviceembodyingmy improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a view showing two cars coupled together. Fig. 4 represents a front elevation of a car provided with my improvements. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the coupling device. Fig. 6 is a detail side view of the spring-connection for the coupling-bar, and Fig. 7 is a transverse section.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar letters of reference denote similarpart-s, A designates the car-body, mounted vupon the ordi'- nary truck, B, and truck-wheels C.

D designates the transverse end timber of the bottom; d d', the center longitudinal rails or sleepers of the car-body; and E the bufferblock, secured to the rail or timber D atv its middle, and provided with the usual buffer, e.

F designates the coupling hook or bar, consisting in a thin Hat plate of metahf, having parts f fZ at angles with each other, the former of which is provided at its forward end upon its upper edge with an. upwardly and rearwardly projecting hook -shaped projection, f3, the forward edge of which is curved downwardly, as shown at f, to a point, f", below the plane of the bottom edge, f", of the plate f, and said pointf5 is joined to the bottom f by a curved line, f7, as shown, for a purpose hereinafter described.

fS designates an aperture formed through the plate j' at or near its middle, to receive the couplingbar G, upon which the hook F is mounted and operates.

yThe part f projects in a downwardly-iu clined direction from the part f, and is provided at or near its end with a weight, F', secu redto said part by pins or keys f.

G designates the coupling-bar, consisting in a dat bar, g, having it opposite ends provided with outwardly-projecting journals gg2, that are mounted i'n apertures IL, formed in castings H, secured to and depending from the carbody, as hereinafter described. The bar g is twisted slightly in its length, and is provided near one end with a forwardlyfprojecting part, g3, vprovided in its forward inner side edge with a groove, gt, to receive the ordinary coupling-link of a ear not having my improvement. The part g3 is apertured at g5, to receive the usual coupling-pin, when used in the connection named.

H H designate castings, secured to and depending from the car-body, one of said castings having a circular aperture, h, the other a slot,lz, formed therethrough to receive the journalsg g ofthe bar g, as hereinafter described.v

Hdesignate metal straps, that pass about and support the castings H H, and are secured at their opposite ends to the timber D and rails d d of the car-body, respectively. The slot h of the castingH is at its iniddle widened to form shoulders lf lf, that form stops for apertured plates t", the opposite ends of each of which is notched or recessed at its middle, as

shown at t2, to embrace the sides of the cast-- ing at theedges of the slot when said plates are in position, as shown in the slot h'.

j designates a draw-bar, having its forward end attened andprovided with an aperture,

j. This bar passes loosely through the aperture in the plate to and through the aperture in the plate i', and is held in position by a key or pin, f, that passes through its rear end outside of the plate i.

K designates a spiral or coiled spring, placed upon the rod or bar j, between the plates t' i.

IOO

The parts last-above described are attached to the casting in which the end of the bar G, having the projection g, is journaled, and said bar is journaled at its ends, respectively, in the aperture h of t-he casting H, and aperture j' of the draw-barj, as shown.

K' designates a leaf-spring, secured to one of the rails d, and provided at its lower end with a saddle, k', that bears upon the upper edge of the part f2 of the hook-plate F, for the purpose of aiding the weight F' thereon.

L designates achainattached to the arm f z, near the weight F', that passes thence over a pulley, l, pivoted to t-he car-body, thence outwardl y, and is attached to a vertical shaft, L', mounted in bearing loops or staples Z' l', that projects from the side ofthe car-body.

E l* designate crank-arms, formed upon each end of the shaft L', for the purpose of operating said shaft.

M designates a swinging latch, pivoted at m to the side of the car-frame, and provided at its opposite end with a chain that extends thence to a staple, m', to limit the movement of the latch M, and provide means for raising the saine from engagement with the lower crank arm or handle, la, when desired.

lhe operation of my device is as follows, it being borne in mind that the forward end of the hook-plate F is by its weight F' normally held at its highest point of elevation: When two cars provided with my improvement approach each other the outer hooked end of the plate F upon one car will strike against the lower inclined surface ofthe outwardlypro jecting part g3 of the bar G, and as the cars continue t0 approach each other will slide down said surface until its hook passes behind said bar. It will be understood that the hooked plateF of the second car is repeating the operation above described as regards the Vinclined part g3 of the car first named. It will also be understood that the weights F upon the plate F operate to cause'the hooked end of said plate to pass behind the bar of the adjacent car. To

uncouple the cars, the weighted inner end of one of the plates F is raised through the crankshaft L' and chain L, by which the part g upon the bar G of the part so raised will bear upon and depress the hooked plate projecting from the adjacent car. The latch M is now dropped, and falling behind the lower crankarm, F, of the shaft L', prevents it from turning backward, as will be understood.

Modifications in detail of construction may be made in the herein-described invention without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

I claim- 1. In a car-coupling, a bar, G, having a projecting portion, g, provided with a groove, g, and aperture g, in combination with a bar, F, mounted upon the bar G, and provided with a hooked end, f3, a weighted end, F', castings H H', and straps H?, substantially as described.

2. In a car coupling, abar, G, having ontwardly-projecting journal-bearings g g2, projecting portion g, havingt groove g', and aperture g5, in combination with castings H H', draw-bar j, plates i i', and spring K, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling. a plate, F, having a hooked forward end, f, and a weighted rear end, F', said bar mounted upon a coupler-bar, G, having a projecting part, g, provided with a groove, g, and aperture g5, said bar pivoted in castings H H. depending from the car-body, with a chain, L, crank-shaft L', and latch M. limited in its movements by chain m, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a car-coupling, a plate, F, having forward hooked end and rearward weighted end, said bar mounted upon an oscillating bar, G, having journal-bearings g g, and forwardlyprojecting part g, in combination with aspring, K, chain L, crank-shaft L', latch M, and chain m, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL HALTOM.

Witnesses:

J. A. GERNLEIN, Jr., J AMES FLANAGAN. 

